Clothing treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a clothing treatment apparatus comprising: a heat pump having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, and applying heat to air circulating in a drum; an air flow path forming a movement path such that the air is circulated through the drum; a lint filter provided on the air flow path and collecting lint contained in the air; and a condensate water collecting part collecting condensate water generated in the evaporator and supplying the condensate water to the lint filter, wherein the condensate water supplied from the condensate water collecting part is supplied to the upper portion of the lint filter, and the lint collected in the lint filter is moved to the lower portion of the lint filter, thereby securing the air flow path of the lint filter.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, and moreparticularly, to a laundry treating apparatus for securing a flow pathof a lint filter of the laundry treating apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus capable ofperforming a function of washing laundry or drying the laundry that hasbeen washed, or performing the both functions.

In addition, recently, a laundry treating apparatus equipped with asteam generating apparatus to have a refreshing function, such aswrinkle removal, odor removal, static electricity removal, and the likeof the laundry, or a sterilization function has been developed.

For example, a drum-type dryer that dries the laundry that has beenwashed, a cabinet-type dryer that hangs the laundry to dry, a refresherthat refreshes the laundry by supplying hot air to the laundry, and thelike have been developed.

Among the laundry treating apparatuses, the refresher, the dryer, or thelike has a heat source supply to heat air to supply the hot air to thelaundry. Such heat source supply includes a gas heater that heats theair by burning gas using a heat source, an electric heater that heatsthe air by an electric resistance, a heat pump that heats the air usinga heat pump that circulates a refrigerant through a compressor, acondenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and the like.Recently, a heat pump having an advantage of excellent energy efficiencyhas been actively developed.

In one example, a laundry treating apparatus applying the heat pump hasa drum, a driving motor, the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser,and the like inside a cabinet. The drum provides a cylindricalaccommodating space to accommodate and dry the laundry, and a spaceoccupied by the drum of a total space inside the cabinet is much largerthan a space occupied by another component. For example, an outercircumference (a radius) of the drum extends from a top to a bottom ofthe cabinet as well as to left and right sides of the cabinet.

The compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, and the evaporatorconstituting a heat pump cycle are disposed using the remaining spacesexcept for the space occupied by the drum. The remaining spaces exceptfor the space occupied by the drum may be spaces on the left and rightsides of the cabinet.

For example, the evaporator and the condenser may be placed in a frontand rear direction in a space on one side of the cabinet, and thecompressor with relatively large volume and size may be placed in acorner space on the other side of the cabinet.

In the case of the laundry treating apparatus using the heat pumpaccording to the prior art as described above, moisture of humid airpassing through the evaporator is condensed on a surface of theevaporator based on an operation of the heat pump, and condensed watercondensed on the surface of the evaporator is collected by an own weightand drained separately.

In one example, the air used for drying an object to be dried in thelaundry treating apparatus as described above contains lint generatedfrom the laundry. Such lint may be filtered by a lint filter installedon a flow path of air discharged from the drum.

However, in the related art, after a drying cycle is completed, a userhad to take out the lint filter and remove the lint every time. Inaddition, there was a problem that, when the lint filter is not cleanedfor a long time, an air volume is reduced to lower a drying efficiency.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems,and is to provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of securing aflow path of air by washing a lint filter that filters lint contained inthe air.

The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems,and is to provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of securing aflow path of air by removing lint filtered from a lint filter usingcondensed water condensed in an evaporator.

Technical Solutions

It is preferable that a laundry treating apparatus for achieving theabove purpose includes a heat pump equipped with an evaporator, acompressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, and applying heat toair circulating in a drum, an air flow path for defining a flow pathsuch that the air is circulated therein after passing through the drum,a lint filter disposed on the air flow path for collecting lintcontained in the air, and a condensed water collector for collectingcondensed water generated in the evaporator and supplying the collectedcondensed water to the lint filter, and the condensed water suppliedfrom the condensed water collector is supplied to an upper portion ofthe lint filter to move lint collected in the lint filter to a lowerportion of the lint filter.

It is preferable that the condensed water collector includes a condensedwater drainage flow path having a condensed water pump for flowing thecondensed water, a first branch flow path branching from the condensedwater drainage flow path to guide the condensed water to a condensedwater tank, a second branch flow path branching from the condensed waterdrainage flow path to guide the condensed water to the lint filter, anda branch valve disposed on the condensed water drainage flow path toselectively supply the condensed water to the first branch flow path orthe second branch flow path.

It is preferable that the air flow path includes a suction flow path incommunication with a front surface of the drum, wherein the air of thedrum is introduced into the suction flow path, a filter mounting portiondisposed in the suction flow path, wherein the lint filter is installedin the filter mounting portion, and an exhaust flow path incommunication with a rear surface of the drum to exhaust air that haspassed through the heat pump to the drum.

It is preferable that the lint filter includes a first housing forforming one surface of the lint filter, a second housing for forming theother surface of the lint filter, and a hinge for connecting one edge ofthe first housing and one edge of the second housing to each other.

It is preferable that the first housing and the second housing areformed in a shape symmetric to each other.

It is preferable that a handle for withdrawing the lint filter is formedon at least one of the first housing and the second housing.

It is preferable that the first housing includes an inlet defined at atop of the first housing such that the air of the drum flows into thefirst housing, and a filter located below the inlet, wherein the lintcontained in the air flowed into the inlet is collected in the filterand then is discharged from the filter.

It is preferable that the laundry treating apparatus further includes acondensed water connection portion formed on one side of the inlet,wherein the second branch flow path is connected to the condensed waterconnection portion, and a condensed water flowing step for guiding thecondensed water supplied through the condensed water connection portionand flowing inside the inlet to flow down to the filter.

It is preferable that the condensed water connection portion is formedon each of both sides of the inlet, and the condensed water flowing stepis formed in a curved shape with a concave central portion.

It is preferable that multiple condensed water distribution protrusionsspaced apart from each other at a predetermined spacing are formed at alongitudinal end of the condensed water flowing step such that thecondensed water flowing along the condensed water flowing step flowsevenly to the filter.

Advantageous Effects

According to the laundry treating apparatus of the present disclosure,the flow path of the air may be secured by washing the lint filter thatfilters the lint contained in the air.

In addition, according to the laundry treating apparatus of the presentdisclosure, the flow path of the air may be secured by removing the lintfiltered from the lint filter using the condensed water condensed in theevaporator.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laundry treating apparatus usinga heat pump according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram showing a configuration of a laundrytreating apparatus according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an installation stateof a lint filter in a laundry treating apparatus according to thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a lint filter of a laundry treatingapparatus according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a lintfilter according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a distribution portionof a lint filter according to the present disclosure.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, a laundry treating apparatus related to the presentdisclosure will be described in more detail with reference to thedrawings. In the present specification, the same/similar referencenumerals are assigned to the same/similar components even in differentembodiments, and the description is replaced with the first description.As used herein, the singular expression includes the plural expressionunless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The present disclosure may be applied to a laundry treating apparatushaving a drying function or a washing machine combined with a dryer, anda laundry treating apparatus having a refresh function and asterilization function by having a steam supply apparatus. In addition,the present disclosure may be applied to a drum-type dryer and acabinet-type dryer.

Hereinafter, a laundry treating apparatus according to the presentdisclosure will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laundry treating apparatus usinga heat pump according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is asimplified diagram showing a configuration of a laundry treatingapparatus according to the present disclosure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, a laundry treating apparatus 100 according tothe present disclosure is an example of a drum-type dryer, and is ableto include a cabinet 110, a drum 130, a driver (not shown), a blowingfan 170, and a heat pump 160. Air of the drum 130 is connected to theheat pump 160 by an air flow path 150.

In this connection, the cabinet 110 may form an appearance of a product,and at the same time, include a door 112 constructed at a front surfacethereof for inputting laundry, and a base 114 on which an internalcomponent of the laundry treating apparatus 100 is installed.

In one example, the drum 130 may rotate about a rotation shaft directedin a horizontal direction or in a direction inclined at a certain angleinside the cabinet. In one example, the drum 130 may have a hollowcylindrical shape, and provide an accommodation space for drying thelaundry, which is an object to be dried, put thereinto.

The drum 130 is formed in a cylindrical shape with open front and rearsurfaces. The drum 130 has a front support 132 that rotatably supportsthe drum 130 at the front surface thereof. In addition, the drum 130 hasa rear support 133 that rotatably supports the drum 130 at the rearsurface thereof.

Additionally, a front roller 142 and a rear roller 143 in a form of aroller for rotatably supporting the drum 130 may be additionallydisposed beneath the front and rear surfaces of the drum 130,respectively. That is, the front support 132 and the rear support 133block the front and rear surfaces of the drum 130 to define the dryingspace for the object to be dried, and at the same time, support frontand rear ends of the drum 130, respectively.

In one example, the front support 132 has an inlet 132 b defined thereinto put the object to be dried into the drum 130, and the inlet isselectively opened and closed by the door 112. In addition, an airoutlet 132 a to which the air flow path 150 to be described later isconnected is positioned at a lower portion of the front support 132. Theair outlet 132 a is defined to be in communication with a suction flowpath 151 of the air flow path 150 to be described later.

In addition, the rear support 133 has an air inlet 133 a defined thereincomposed of a plurality of through-holes in order to supply air into thedrum 130. The air inlet 133 a is defined to be in communication with anexhaust flow path 152 of the air flow path 150 to be described later.

In this connection, in order to efficiently dry the laundry, which isthe object to be dried, a lifter 131 a for tumbling the input laundrymay be further disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum130.

In addition, the driver may provide a rotation force using a motor (notshown), an output shaft of the motor and the drum 130 may be connectedto each other by power transmission means such as a belt or the like,and the rotation force of the motor may be transmitted to the drum 130to rotate the drum 130.

In addition, the air flow path 150 may be connected to the drum 130 toform a closed loop for air circulation. For example, the air flow path150 may be formed in a form of a duct. The suction flow path 151 fordischarging air is defined beneath the front support 132 of the drum130, and the exhaust flow path 152 for supplying air is defined beneaththe rear support 133 of the drum 130.

In one example, the blowing fan 170 may be installed inside the air flowpath 150 extending from the suction flow path 151 to an evaporator 161of the heat pump 160, or inside the air flow path 150 extending from acondenser 16 of the heat pump 160 to the exhaust flow path 152.

In this connection, the blowing fan 170 may be driven by a separate fanmotor, may apply power to air to pass through the drum 130, and maycirculate air discharged from the drum 130 back to the drum 130.

In addition, a filter mounting portion 151 a in which a lint filter 200for filtering lint in the circulating air is installed is formed in thesuction flow path 151. The lint filter 200 may collect the lintcontained in the air as the air sucked from the drum 130 to the suctionflow path passes therethrough.

In one example, in the case of the lint filter 200 of the presentdisclosure, a flow path of the air passing through the lint filter 200may be secured by removing, from a filter 219 of the lint filter 200,the lint collected using condensed water generated from the evaporator161 of the heat pump 160. This will be described in detail after adescription of the heat pump.

Therefore, the laundry (also referred to as ‘cloth’) evaporates moistureby hot air supplied into the drum 130, and the air passing through thedrum 130 is discharged from the drum 130 with the moisture evaporatedfrom the laundry. The hot and humid air discharged from the drum 130 iscirculated to the drum 130 after being heated by receiving heat from theheat pump 160 while flowing along the air flow path 150.

In one example, the heat pump 160 is constructed to include theevaporator 161, a compressor 163, the condenser 16, and an expansionvalve 164. The heat pump 160 may use a refrigerant as a working fluid.The refrigerant flows along a refrigerant pipe 165, and the refrigerantpipe 165 forms a closed loop for circulation of the refrigerant. Theevaporator 161, the compressor 163, the condenser 16, and the expansionvalve 164 are connected to each other by the refrigerant pipe 165, sothat the refrigerant sequentially passes through the evaporator 161, thecompressor 163, the condenser 16, and the expansion valve 164.

In this connection, the evaporator 161 is installed in the air flow path150 to be in communication with a drum outlet, and performs heatexchange between the air discharged from the drum outlet and therefrigerant to recover heat of the air discharged from the drum 130without discarding the heat out of the dryer.

In addition, the condenser 16 is installed in the air flow path 150 tobe in communication with a drum inlet, and performs heat exchangebetween the air that has passed through the evaporator 161 and therefrigerant to radiate heat of the refrigerant absorbed in theevaporator 161 to the air to be introduced into the drum 130.

In one example, the evaporator 161 and the condenser 16 may be installedinside the air flow path 150. The evaporator 161 may be connected to thedrum outlet, and the condenser 16 may be connected to the drum inlet.

Because the hot and humid air discharged from the drum 130 has a highertemperature than the refrigerant of the evaporator 161, as the air losesthe heat to the refrigerant of the evaporator 161 while passing throughthe evaporator 161, the air is condensed to generate the condensedwater.

Accordingly, the hot and humid air may be dehumidified by the evaporator161, the condensed water may be collected through a condensed watercollector 154 disposed beneath the evaporator 161, and the collectedcondensed water may be collected into a condensed water tank 158 anddiscarded, or may be supplied to the lint filter 200 and used to removethe lint collected by the lint filter 200.

The heat of the air absorbed by the evaporator 161 is transferred to thecondenser 16 through the refrigerant. The compressor 163 is locatedbetween the evaporator 161 and the condenser 16 to transfer the heatfrom the evaporator 161 (a low heat portion) to the condenser 16 (a highheat portion).

In one example, the evaporator 161 and the condenser 16 may be a fin &tube type heat exchanger. The fin & tube type is in a form in which anumber of fins of a flat plate shape are attached to a hollow tube. Asthe refrigerant flows along an interior of the tube and the air passesthrough the multiple fins attached to the tube, the refrigerant and theair may exchange heat with each other. In this connection, the fins areused to expand a heat exchange area between the air and the refrigerant.

The compressor 163 compresses the refrigerant evaporated in theevaporator 161 to make a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant,and transfers the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to thecondenser 16 along the refrigerant pipe 165. The compressor 163 may bean inverter type compressor 163 that may vary a frequency to control adischarge amount of the refrigerant.

The expansion valve 164 is installed on the refrigerant pipe 165extending from the condenser 16 to the evaporator 161, expands therefrigerant condensed in the condenser 16 to make a low-temperature andlow-pressure refrigerant, and transfers the low-temperature andlow-pressure refrigerant to the evaporator 161.

When describing a flow path of the refrigerant according to theconfiguration as described above, the refrigerant flows into thecompressor 163 in a gaseous state and becomes the high temperature andhigh pressure refrigerant by the compression of the compressor 163. Thehigh-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant flows into the condenser16 and becomes to be in a liquid state from the gaseous state as theheat is released to the air in the condenser 16.

Subsequently, the refrigerant in the liquid state flows into theexpansion valve 164 and becomes the low-temperature and low-pressurerefrigerant by a wire drawing effect of the expansion valve 164 (orincluding a capillary tube or the like). The low-temperature andlow-pressure refrigerant in the liquid state flows into the evaporator161 and absorbs the heat from the air in the evaporator 161 to beevaporated from the liquid state to the gaseous state.

As such, the heat pump 160 provides the heat to the air circulated tothe drum 130 while repeatedly circulating the refrigerant to thecompressor 163→the condenser 16→the expansion valve 164→the evaporator161.

In one example, the condensed water generated in the evaporator 161 inthe above-described process is collected in the condensed watercollector 154 located below the evaporator 161. The condensed watercollector 154 is positioned beneath the evaporator 161 and the condenser16 and is formed such that the condensed water falling from theevaporator 161 is collected therein.

In addition, the condensed water collected in the condensed watercollector 154 may be supplied to the condensed water tank 158 or thelint filter 200 through a condensed water drainage flow path 155. Thecondensed water drainage flow path 155 may further include a condensedwater pump 156 for draining the condensed water.

In addition, on a discharge side of the condensed water pump 156, afirst branch flow path 157 a and a second branch flow path 157 b forguiding the condensed water flowed by the condensed water pump 156 tothe condensed water tank 158 or the lint filter 200 may be disposed.

In this connection, a branch valve 159 for selectively supplying thecondensed water flowing from an outlet of the condensed water pump 156to the first branch flow path 157 a or the second branch flow path 157 bis disposed between the first branch flow path 157 a and the secondbranch flow path 157 b.

In one example, the laundry treating apparatus 100 includes the lintfilter 200 for filtering the lint generated during the drying of thelaundry. The lint filter 200 may be installed by being inserted into thefilter mounting portion 151 a located at the lower portion of the frontsupport 132 of the drum.

In this connection, when a drying cycle continues, foreign substancessuch as the lint are deposited on the lint filter 200. When the lintfilter 200 is not cleaned for a long time, a flow amount of air passingthrough the lint filter 200 may decrease due to the collected lint, andthus, a drying efficiency may be reduced. Therefore, there was a hasslein that a user has to take out the lint filter and remove the lint eachtime after use of the laundry treating apparatus is completed.

To solve such problem, in the present disclosure, the lint filter 200that may improve convenience of the user and secure a flow rate of theair by supplying the condensed water to the lint filter 200 to removethe lint collected in the lint filter 200 from the filter by thecondensed water and collect the removed lint in a lower portion of thelint filter 200 is provided.

Hereinafter, an installation state of the lint filter will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an installation stateof a lint filter in a laundry treating apparatus according to thepresent disclosure, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a lint filterof a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure,FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a lintfilter according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 6 is a partialcross-sectional view showing a distribution portion of a lint filteraccording to the present disclosure.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the lint filter 200 is constructed to beinserted and mounted in the filter mounting portion 151 a of the suctionflow path 151 in communication with the air outlet 132 a of the frontsupport 132, and has a first housing 210 and a second housing 220connected to each other by foldable hinges 230 at lower ends thereof.

In such lint filter 200, the air is introduced into the lint filter 200by a combination of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220,and the lint contained in the air is trapped in an inner space definedby the first housing 210 and the second housing 220.

Such first housing 210 and second housing 220 may be formed to besymmetric to each other around the hinge. There may be some differencesdepending on a shape of the filter mounting portion 151 a in which thelint filter 200 is installed and an inflow direction of air, but thefirst housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be formed in similarshapes.

In addition, a handle 214 for removing the lint filter 200 from thefilter mounting portion 151 a may be further formed on at least one ofthe first housing 210 and the second housing 220.

In one example, an inlet 211 through which the air that has dried theobject to be dried in the drum 130 is introduced is defined on top ofthe first housing 210 and the second housing 220, and a filter frame 218to which the filter 219 is fixed is formed below the inlet 211.

In this connection, the filter frame 218 may be formed below the firsthousing 210 and the second housing 220, and may have a lower outer shapeof the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 and an inner shapeof a lattice form such that the filter 219 in a form of a mesh islocated therein.

In this connection, each inlet 211 has multiple through-holes 212 andmultiple inflow guides 213 defined therein. the air may be introducedinto the lint filter 200 by the through-holes 212 and the inflow guides213.

In one example, the through-holes 212 and the inflow guides 213 may beformed in a grid shape of a relatively small size in order to preventthe object to be dried inside the drum 130 from being introducedthereinto.

The air is introduced into such lint filter 200 through the inlet 211defined at the top of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220,and the lint contained in the air is collected while the air is passingthrough the filter 219 formed beneath the first housing 210 and thesecond housing 220.

In addition, when the lint is collected inside the lint filter 200, topsurfaces of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may beopened and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may bepivoted around the hinge 230, so that the line collected inside the lintfilter 200 may be removed.

In one example, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 6, a condensed water connectionportion 215 to which the second branch flow path 157 a of the condensedwater collector 154 is connected is formed at an upper portion of anexternal surface on each of both sides of each of the first housing 210and the second housing 220, and a condensed water flowing step 16 isformed at an upper portion of an inner surface or each of the firsthousing 210 and the second housing 220 such that the condensed water isintroduced into the condensed water connection portion 215 and flows.

In this connection, the condensed water flowing step 16 may be formed ina curved shape with a concave central portion such that the condensedwater introduced from both sides of the first housing 210 and the secondhousing 220 flows down to a central portion inside the first housing 210and the second housing 220 along the inner surfaces of the first housing210 and the second housing 220.

In addition, at a longitudinal end of the condensed water flowing step16 of each of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220, multiplecondensed water distribution protrusions 217 spaced apart from eachother at a predetermined spacing are formed such that the condensedwater flowing along the condensed water flowing step 16 may flow evenlyfrom the inner surface of each of the first housing 210 and the secondhousing 220 to the filter 219.

Therefore, while flowing down to the central portion of the firsthousing 210 and the second housing 220 along the curved shape of thecondensed water flowing step 16, the condensed water introduced alongthe condensed water flowing step 16 of each of the first housing 210 andthe second housing 220 may flow down to a front surface of the filter219 by flowing down to a space between the condensed water distributionprotrusions 217 formed on each of the first housing 210 and the secondhousing 220.

In the lint filter 200 according to the present disclosure as describedabove, when the condensed water is supplied through the condensed waterconnection portion 215 disposed on each of the first housing 210 and thesecond housing 220 of the lint filter 200, the supplied condensed waterflows along the condensed water flowing step 16.

In one example, the condensed water flowing along the condensed waterflowing step 16 is discharged through the space between the multiplecondensed water distribution protrusions 217 formed on the condensedwater flowing step 16 and flows evenly toward the filter 219, and thecondensed water flowing down to the filter 219 flows down to a lowerportion of the lint filter 200 along a surface of the filter 219 alongwith the lint while wetting the lint collected in the filter 219.

In this connection, the condensed water flowing down with the lint tothe lower portion of the lint filter 200 is drained through the filter219 at the lower portion of the lint filter 200, and the lint moved withthe condensed water remains at the lower portion of the filter 200.

Accordingly, as the lint of the filter 219 of the lint filter 200 isremoved and moved downward, the flow path of the air passing through thefilter 219 may be secured.

According to the present disclosure as described above, it is possibleto secure the air flow path of the lint filter 200 by supplying thecondensed water to the lint filter 200 that filters the lint containedin the air to remove the lint collected in the filter 219 and collectingthe removed lint at the lower portion of the lint filter 200.

As described above, although the preferred embodiment of the presentdisclosure has been described in detail, a person with ordinary skill inthe technical field to which the present disclosure belongs will be ableto implement the present disclosure in various ways without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present disclosure defined in theappended claims. Therefore, future changes in the embodiments of thepresent disclosure will not be able to deviate from the description ofthe present disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Included in the detailed description of the present disclosure.

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a heat pump equipped with anevaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, andapplying heat to air circulating in a drum; an air flow path fordefining a flow path such that the air is circulated therein afterpassing through the drum; a lint filter disposed on the air flow pathfor collecting lint contained in the air; and a condensed watercollector for collecting condensed water generated in the evaporator andsupplying the collected condensed water to the lint filter, wherein thecondensed water supplied from the condensed water collector is suppliedto an upper portion of the lint filter to move lint collected in thelint filter to a lower portion of the lint filter.
 2. The laundrytreating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the condensed water collectorincludes: a condensed water drainage flow path having a condensed waterpump for flowing the condensed water; a first branch flow path branchingfrom the condensed water drainage flow path to guide the condensed waterto a condensed water tank; a second branch flow path branching from thecondensed water drainage flow path to guide the condensed water to thelint filter; and a branch valve disposed on the condensed water drainageflow path to selectively supply the condensed water to the first branchflow path or the second branch flow path.
 3. The laundry treatingapparatus of claim 2, wherein the air flow path includes: a suction flowpath in communication with a front surface of the drum, wherein the airof the drum is introduced into the suction flow path; a filter mountingportion disposed in the suction flow path, wherein the lint filter isinstalled in the filter mounting portion; and an exhaust flow path incommunication with a rear surface of the drum to exhaust air that haspassed through the heat pump to the drum.
 4. The laundry treatingapparatus of claim 2, wherein the lint filter includes: a first housingfor forming one surface of the lint filter; a second housing for formingthe other surface of the lint filter; and a hinge for connecting oneedge of the first housing and one edge of the second housing to eachother.
 5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the firsthousing and the second housing are formed in a shape symmetric to eachother.
 6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein a handlefor withdrawing the lint filter is formed on at least one of the firsthousing and the second housing.
 7. The laundry treating apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the first housing includes: an inlet defined at a topof the first housing such that the air of the drum flows into the firsthousing; and a filter located below the inlet, wherein the lintcontained in the air flowed into the inlet is collected in the filterand then is discharged from the filter.
 8. The laundry treatingapparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a condensed water connectionportion formed on one side of the inlet, wherein the second branch flowpath is connected to the condensed water connection portion; and acondensed water flowing step for guiding the condensed water suppliedthrough the condensed water connection portion and flowing inside theinlet to flow down to the filter.
 9. The laundry treating apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the condensed water connection portion is formed oneach of both sides of the inlet, wherein the condensed water flowingstep is formed in a curved shape with a concave central portion.
 10. Thelaundry treating apparatus of claim 9, wherein multiple condensed waterdistribution protrusions spaced apart from each other at a predeterminedspacing are formed at a longitudinal end of the condensed water flowingstep such that the condensed water flowing along the condensed waterflowing step flows evenly to the filter.